Ogilvy poaches senior strategists from Accenture and TMW

Ogilvy has made a pair of senior strategy hires to join Gen Kobayashi in leading the agency's team of more than 75 strategists.

Sarah Blackman is joining as head of strategic innovation and Kate Wheaton as head of customer engagement strategy, with Kobayashi continuing as head of strategy, communications.

Blackman, who was previously at Accenture Interactive, will concentrate on data-driven creativity. Wheaton, who was previously at TMW Unlimited, will work with head of customer engagement Louise Whitcombe.

Before joining Accenture in May 2018, Blackman spent six years at Proximity London as chief innovation officer. She has also worked at Y&R, BBDO and MRM.

Wheaton has been director of strategy at TMW since 2011, leading a team of 30. Before that, she was an executive planning director at EHS Brann (now Havas Helia).

Clare Lawson, chief customer officer at Ogilvy UK, said: "Gen, Sarah and Kate will together propel forward our capabilities and the work we do for our clients. All the more important as we enter an age where it’s the customer who really owns the experience they want from a brand."

Ogilvy remains without a chief strategy officer, with chief executive Michael Frohlich commenting that "we already have a very strong strategic leadership team".